Nano-structures have been used in a variety of applications such as in electrical, optical, photonic and biological applications. Nano-structures are usually formed on a substrate by way of photo lithography, nano-imprint lithography, reverse imprinting or electron beam lithography.
In order to protect the nano structures from dust and damage, a laminate film can be applied on top of the nano-structures.
In conventional lamination, an adhesion film is usually required to adhere the laminate film to the article to be laminated. The adhesion film will then require heat or pressure in order to adhere the laminate film to the article. Hence, this process requires an additional adhesion film to be attached to the laminate film, requiring an additional manufacturing step to apply the adhesion film to the laminate film.
Another known method for applying a laminate film on top of a series of nano-imprints uses a roll lamination method in which a lamination film is unwounded from a lamination roll and then pressed to the nanostructured surface using a pinch roller. Due to the use of the pinch roller, the lamination film is pressed onto the nanostructures under pressure. While the lamination film is adhered to the nanostructures, this method requires additional equipment such as a pinch roller to carry out the lamination process. Further, it is not certain that the integrity of the nano-imprints is preserved after passing through the pinch roller due to the small scale of the nanofeatures and the pressure involved. This process will also fill in the nanofeatures. There is no control over the infiltration of the polymer laminate into the nanofeatures.
There is a need to provide laminating process that overcomes, or at least ameliorates, one or more of the disadvantages described above.
There is a need to provide laminated structure that overcomes, or at least ameliorates, one or more of the disadvantages described above.